Here’s an experience every manager has faced – You walk out of a meeting feeling confident that your team is ready to meet and exceed your expectations. At your next meeting, you find out that things were done incorrectly, by the wrong people, or not at all. Some of the fault falls on the team, but some falls on you, the manager who clearly failed to delegate effectively. Avoid having this ever happen again by following these strategies:
Address Each Individual
Regardless of whether you are assigning responsibility to one person, or a whole team, you should address each individual involved at the end of the meeting. Make sure they clearly understand the assignment and are willing/able to take it on. This helps clear up miscommunications and ensures that your goals aren’t compromised for reasons you weren’t aware of.
Set Clear Goals and Metrics
You have a specific outcome in mind. Make sure that your team is aware of what it is and what the metrics for success and failure are. If you find that your assignment can’t be measured in those terms, it’s probably an indication that you need to meet further, bring in other perspectives, and revise your timeline.
Identify a Timeline
When do you expect things to be done? When your time frame is different than the delegates, work is either early and incomplete, or too late and unhelpful. Not all projects need to have a hard and fast deadline, but make sure everyone you’re counting is aware of when you expect to see results.
Make Yourself Available
Even though you have delegated responsibility, it doesn’t mean you will be completely removed from the process. Your input may be necessary at some point, and you need to make yourself available as a contributor and adviser as necessary.
Keep Track
If you’re counting on seeing a certain result by a certain time, you need to track it’s progress. That way you’re not left embarrassed, frustrated, or scrambling if there are delays or unforeseen circumstances. Make sure you’re tracking assignments in your own records, and get updates from time to time depending on the importance of the project. You don’t have to micromanage them, but delegates still require some supervision.
Effective management is often a process of trial and error. These techniques are based on the mistakes that so often compromise post-meeting action. Adapt them to your own management style, and you can relieve a lot of stress for both you and your team. Access other effective workforce solutions by contacting The Squires Group.
